in which emma & regina fall in love
by mxyormills
Summary: Emma Swan and Regina Mills exist in the same universe at the same time. Need I say more?
1. Chapter 1

**hi guys, my girlfriend and i broke up and i'm sad so i've decided to write a new story to keep her off my mind. i have some really cool ideas for this piece so i'm really hoping that you guys will stick with me :) please leave a review if you have any thoughts, i'm always open to criticism. thanks xoxo love y'all.**

It wasn't that Emma was bored with her job, it was just that… well. She was bored. She was bored of her boss's constant nagging, she was bored of the people she was surrounded by on a daily basis, and most of all, she was bored of the pay. Four years of school, eighty thousand dollars in debt, and for what? A few measly dollars more than minimum wage and sub par health insurance? But it wasn't just that. Every day, she watched her two roommates, Ruby and Mary Margaret, leave the apartment with a smile on their faces. Mary Margaret loved her job, and couldn't wait to get back to her class of Kindergarteners the moment returned home in the evening. Ruby couldn't have been any more excited about the diner she had finally saved up enough to purchase. A diner in the heart of New York City. Emma wondered at just how lucky her best friend had gotten when she'd found the property that she would eventually spend her life's savings on. And Emma? Emma was a bartender at a swanky night club just a few blocks away from both Ruby's diner, and Times Square. She didn't think herself above the job, in fact, it was the best job she'd ever had. But she'd been out of university for two years, and she had hoped that her photography career would have somewhat progressed since then. She'd amassed a huge Instagram following since her university days because of her photography, one that grew every single day, but those people just wanted to look. They weren't interested in paying her. Sure, she got the occasional wedding shoot, but she'd been doing those since she was sixteen years old. She dreamed of shooting for a magazine like National Geographic. She wanted to travel the world, and she wanted her work to be showcased with the best of the best. She mulled over all of this sullenly as she wiped down the bar stools after another long evening at the Cats Cradle. She sighed, promising herself to be more positive. After all, not many people could boast a staggering two hundred thousand followers on one of the worlds leading social media apps. At some point in those people's lives, they'd thought to themselves that they enjoyed Emma's photography so much that they would like to see it on their feed every single day, and that had to count for something, right?

"Swan!" Leroy barked, snapping her out of her reverie. Emma looked up with a sheepish smile, knowing she'd been caught daydreaming at work. Again. Leroy, her boss, just sighed.

"C'mon Swan," He said gruffly, "It's three in the morning and I'd like to catch some sleep before the kids have me up at six sharp." Emma rolled her eyes, and threw the wash cloth she had been using over her shoulder.

"You could have left hours ago. I've been working her for three years and I am perfectly capable of locking up behind myself." She muttered, knowing it was of no use. She and her boss had the same conversation almost every night, and his answer was always something along the lines of "Ain't no way I'm leaving a pretty little blonde like you alone in a nightclub at this time in the morning. Nuh uh. My wife would have my head." Emma knew that he was right, of course, so she just focused on cleaning the last few items on her list. The Cats Cradle was a posh night club, but it was small. The waiting list to get in was a mile long, and the line was littered with celebrities. Paparazzi was strictly prohibited at the Cradle, which was why it was such a safe haven for so many big names. They came to the Cradle for some peace and quiet, and a guaranteed good time. Because the Cradle was so small, the staff was also small. Leroy employed only three bar tenders, and they all worked one at a time. There were a couple of bus boys, and three waiters as well, but they left at two, and it was always the bar tenders job to clean up. Emma didn't usually mind, but lately it had begun to get on her nerves. She knew that Leroy was making an exorbitant amount of money, and it wouldn't kill him to have the bus boys stay a couple extra hours and do one of the main parts of their jobs. Working at the Cats Cradle, Emma came face to face with some of the most famous people in the country on a nightly basis. She'd been trained right from the beginning of her job to never let on that she knew who they were. After all, they were at the Cradle to cut loose, and to take a break from the public eye.

"Okay, all done boss. Let's go." Emma called from the storage room. As they exited the nigh club, a cold wind hit Emma's face. Her blonde curls whipped around her face, and she tucked them into her red leather jacket with a flicker of annoyance. Leroy walked her to the usual subway stop, and she rode the train for fifteen minutes, until she arrived at the stop just outside of the apartment that she shared with her best friends. Warmth washed over her as she unlocked the door as quietly as possible. Ruby insisted that the heat be all the way up during the winter, to both of her roommates annoyance. Mary Margaret preferred less heat, and Emma preferred less of a heat bill. Grabbing a bottle of water from the kitchen, Emma made her way up the stairs and into her tiny bed room. The cat, Archie, purred with happiness the minute he saw Emma, and got up from his place on her pillow to greet her.

"How's my favourite boy doin, huh?" Emma cooed, picking him up and hugging the orange tabby close to her chest. He meowed in response. Emma laughed, and set him down. She stripped off her clothes and changed into her usual sleeping attire of boy shorts and a tank top. Climbing into her bed, she pulled Archie and her quilt close. She silently wished that something, anything, would change, before sleep finally enveloped her.


	2. Chapter 2

**please let me know what u think of this chapter :) like actually. leave a review. they mean the world to me. also, my gf and i got back together and i'm rly happy bout it, just in case anyone wanted to know lol, okay bye, hope you like this! xoxox**

"C'mon Emma, get up!" a voice called. Emma groaned, rolling over onto her stomach and burying her head under her pillow. It was Saturday morning, and she had the day off. She assumed it was around one in the afternoon, because this was the time that Mary Margaret usually woke her up. She felt Archie walk across her back and decided that it was time to start her day. As she rolled out of bed, she grabbed her towel and headed for the bathroom.

* * *

Half an hour later, Emma was showered, dressed, and in the kitchen looking for something to eat.

"MM!" Emma yelled, "What the fuck happened to the cereal I bought yesterday? I specifically told you not to touch it!" Mary Margaret walked into the kitchen, and the guilty expression on her face told Emma everything she needed to know. Mary Margaret had an affinity for Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and had a nasty habit of eating an entire box in one sitting. Emma rolled her eyes and plopped down onto one of the chairs surrounding the dining table.

"Sorry Ems, you knew I wouldn't be able to help myself," Mary Margaret said, a grin forming on her face.

"You owe me breakfast you bitch," Emma said with another eye roll and a sigh. Mary Margaret laughed, and grabbed her purse off of the table.

"Alright, c'mon, lets go give Ruby some business." She said. As the two of them made their way to Granny's, which was Ruby's diner, Mary Margaret gushed over her long time boyfriend, David's, new car. Emma just smiled and nodded along, paying little attention to what her friend was saying. She was too busy admiring her city. Although she'd been living in New York for just over six years, Emma still couldn't help but be in awe of the city. Emma had grown up in a tiny town in Maine, which was in the middle of nowhere, and for her, New York was paradise. She was grateful that the novelty of the city still hadn't worn off, even after all these years. Emma was still lost in thoughts of her city when she and her friend entered the small restaurant. A smile immediately graced both of their faces. They loved the diner. It was small, retro, and cozy, perfect for a Saturday afternoon "breakfast". They seated themselves at the only empty table in the room, swelling with pride at the sight of so many customers. Ruby had worked for years to be able to afford this place, and it seemed as though all of her hard work was finally paying off. Emma heard a squeal of delight, signalling the fact that Ruby had noticed the arrival of her two best friends.

"MM! Ems! Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Ruby cried in excitement, making her way across the restaurant to her friends table. She slid in beside Mary Margaret and gave her arm a squeeze.

"Sorry Rubes, it was last minute. Someone decided to eat my entire box of cereal, so she's treating me to breakfast to make up for her sins." Emma said, while playfully glaring at Mary Margaret. This time, it was Mary Margaret's turn to roll her eyes.

"Well I'm glad you came because I have something super duper exciting to tell you Emma!" Ruby began, "Mk, so yanno that waitress I hired like last month? Belle? I told y'all about her right? Okay so her husband is super fucking rich, which is like weird right? Like why would she apply to work at this place when her husband is so rich like it's not like she needs the money, right? I mean, I just kinda find it a little strange but I don't mind cause she's a good worker and a really sweet-" Mary Margaret cut her off by clearing her throat, giving Emma a sideways look. Emma stifled a laugh.

"I think you're getting a little off track Rubes…" Mary Margaret said in a patient tone, reserved only for Ruby. Ruby looked sheepish, and began again.

"Right so, uh, right, where was I… Oh yeah! So, Belle's husband, I can't remember his name, it's a weird name something really stran-" She stopped when Mary Margaret gave her a warning look, and sighed.

"Okay so yeah, Belles husband is on the board of directors at Milana magazine, which is like obviously the biggest fashion magazine in the fucking world, which I assume you neither of your knew, because well, I mean, look at what you two are wearing." Said Ruby, giving her friends a once over. Emma and Mary Margaret just groaned, not wanted to hear Ruby's speech on their "boring attire" for the hundredth time.

"C'mon Ruby, just get on with the story." Emma urged, trying to avoid another lecture.

"So anyways, Belle was at some fancy party with her husband and the board members, and she was talking to the CEO of the magazine, who is apparently a real bitch by the way, and she told Belle that they were looking for a new photo editor, and Belle told me about this because that sweet girl remembered that my best friend was a photographer looking for work. So there! You have to apply Emma! Imagine working for the fucking Milana. Oh my god. I would die." As Ruby finished her story, Emma sat back in her seat. She couldn't be a photo editor. Could she? She was a photographer, not an editor. She had no experience. She couldn't just go from being a bartender/photographer to the photo editor at the worlds most famous fashion magazine in a matter of days. Could she? Apparently she'd voiced these thoughts out loud, and she was met with a quick rebuttal from both of her friends.

"Emma! You're applying! Even if I have to take in your resume myself, you're gonna try to get that job." Mary Margaret said firmly.

"Remember what Professor Niles always said? You miss 100% of the chances you don't take." Ruby said with a grin, knowing how cheesy the quote was. Emma didn't need much convincing. By the time their (very late) breakfast was done, Emma already had plans to go home, touch up on her resume, and write a cover letter. She was trying not to let herself get too excited at the prospect of getting the job, as she knew her chances were slim, but she couldn't help it. After all, wasn't it just last night that she was in bed wishing that something would change?

* * *

Emma exited the huge Milana headquarters building with a dopey grin on her face. She'd given the receptionist her newly polished resume and freshly written cover letter with confidence that would put even Kanye West to shame. She knew she probably wouldn't even get an interview, but she was proud of herself for having the guts to even walk into the intimidating building, let alone apply for a job there. She'd applied on the Milana website as well, but she'd thought applying in person might get her brownie points. It was now Sunday evening, and Emma was headed to the bar straight from the Milano headquarters. She tried not to think about how much she wanted this job as she made her way into the back room of the club, pulling on her bartenders apron. She took a deep breath, and tried to concentrate on her current employment instead of potential future employment.

* * *

It was a slow night. Usually, the small club was full to the brim, but tonight, there were empty sofas all over, and even a couple bare bar stools. Emma hadn't even been up front at the bar all night, Leroy had offered to take over for a few hours while she counted stock in the back. She finished up around eleven o'clock and entered the front of the bar so that she could relieve Leroy of his duties. A group of young blondes, whom Emma thought she vaguely recognized from some cheesy fairy tale show on TV ordered a round of vodka shots. Emma lined up twelve glasses of the bar and began filling them up. Thoughts of the prospective job began to flow through Emma's head, and her mind began to wander. Her hand slipped, and the liquid in the bottle Emma was holding went everywhere. Emma swore, and quickly grabbed a hand towel to begin cleaning up the mess before anyone noticed. Too late.

"Excuse me?" a sultry voice purred. Emma looked up, and straight into a pair of the most captivating eyes she'd ever seen. They were a chocolate brown of some sort, and they seemed to be sparkling with anger. Emma gulped.

"For an establishment as popular as this one, I would expect the bartenders to be properly trained. You have just ruined a three thousand dollar dress." The voice continued. Emma's eyes moved from eyes down to a pair of full burgundy lips, and finally took in the woman sitting in front of her. She noticed a faint scar just above the woman's lip, as well as raven coloured hair that went just past her shoulders. The woman was wearing a tight light grey dress that exposed just enough cleavage to make Emma's mouth water. There was a small stain near the bottom of the dress, and Emma would hardly call it "ruined". She couldn't believe she'd over looked her. The woman looked like a goddess in human form. Clearing her throat impatiently, the brunette regarded Emma expectantly. Emma's eyes snapped back up to her face, and she tried to clear her mind.

"Um, uh, yeah shit, I'm uh, so sorry about that. I'll get you a full refund on your tab for tonight and um I can uh-" Emma sputtered, not even processing how ridiculous she sounded. She was too dumb stuck by the beauty of the woman before her to even care.

"Whatever. If I had more time, I would speak to your manager about getting you fired, but as I do not, all I can do is promise you that I will not be returning to this establishment any time soon. This is supposed to be a high class, stress free place, and all you have managed to do is further irritate me after a very trying evening." The woman spat as she stood from the barstool she was sitting on. She placed two crisp twenty dollar bills on the bar, and turned on her heel, leaving Emma with her mouth hanging open. She felt her face burning, and she felt like screaming. How could someone who looked like a literal angel descended from heaven be such a bitch? Emma forced herself to stop thinking about the brunette, and focused on cleaning up the mess she'd made. The blonde actresses were giggling in the corner of her eye, no doubt over the scene Emma had just caused, and she suppressed an eye roll. The rest of the night went smoothly, and the last customer was out of the bar by two. Emma checked her phone before she began to clean up, and she noticed that she had an email from an unknown email. She clicked on it, and her eyes immediately went wide.

 **Miss Swan,**

 **Thank you for applying for the position of photo editor at the Milana magazine's New York City branch.**

 **We would like to invite you to come to our office to interview for the position. Your interview has been scheduled for May 29, 2018, 1 pm, at the Milana headquarters.**

 **Please call me at 651-555-6666 or email me at if you have any questions or need to reschedule.**

 **We found your resume interesting, and we are excited to meet with you!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Zelena Green**

Emma couldn't believe it. It had been less than 24 hours since she'd submitted her application, and she was already hearing back about an interview? She couldn't believe her luck. She quickly texted her groupchat of friends with the good news, even though she knew that none of them would be awake. She slipped her phone back into her pocket, and got to work with a huge smile adorning her face. She couldn't stop thinking about how lucky she was. She still had a smile on her face when Leroy entered the back room.

"Soooo… I heard you and Regina Mills had a little spat tonight?" Leroy said with a smirk, well used to Emma having it out with customers. So that's what her name is, Emma thought to herself. Regina Mills. She rolled the name over her tongue, and decided it fit.

"Yeah. What an absolute fucking bitch. Who is she anyways? Never seen her around here." Emma said, continuing to load glasses into the dishwasher.

"She's never been here before, I assumed she thought she was too good for the bar. She's the CEO of that stupid fashion magazine, what's it called? The wife reads it… Milano or something?" Leroy said. Emma choked.

"You mean the Milana magazine? She fucking owns it?" Emma sputtered, incredulous. Leroy nodded, not thinking much of it. Emma felt as though she was going to cry. She had ruined her potential bosses three thousand dollar dress. Her potential boss already hated her, and she hadn't even gotten the job yet. Emma couldn't believe that she'd allowed herself to make such a stupid mistake. She spent the entire ride home cursing herself, and wishing her interview wasn't scheduled in just two days. That night, she fell asleep feeling as though all hope was lost.


End file.
